Why I hate the 600mm ƒ4

[Nikkor Shooter]

[Peter Connan]

I got hammered on a similar image the other day. And I only have a 500...

The message was, if you have a clipped wing-top, crop much tighter to make it look intentional.

[Nikkor Shooter]

I got hammered on a similar image the other day. And I only have a 500...

The message was, if you have a clipped wing-top, crop much tighter to make it look intentional.

…but it was not, Peter!   

[Peter Connan]

I am fully aware of that.

The perfect distance does not exist in the life of a prime lens user. Even when one is at the perfect distance for a portrait, one is too close to catch a bird taking off, and vice versa...

[Nikkor Shooter]

I am fully aware of that.

What I am aware of is that I totally lack any kind of authority
with wildlife subjects: they never do as I want! 

[MILLIREHM]

I got hammered on a similar image the other day. And I only have a 500...

The message was, if you have a clipped wing-top, crop much tighter to make it look intentional.

I second that
A famous musicion once said: If you play a wrong note, play it again immediately, it is a similar thing here.

Hatred should not be an influencing factor in photography, and you should not hate your lens when you are not able to master it or made the wrong choice for the scene. The longer the lens it is the additional opportunities come at a higher risk to get the crop too narrow in some situations and to unintentionally cutoffs. This is normal and also can happen with a500 or 400 or something else focal length. The 600 mm does a good job (also depending on the proper support) but sometimes it is too long and not flexible enough.

[Nikkor Shooter]

I second that…

Maybe the humouristic undertone of the title was not
expressed properly?

[Peter Connan]

What I am aware of is that I totally lack any kind of authority
with wildlife subjects: they never do as I want! 

It seems then that we are in the same boat!

[MILLIREHM]

Maybe the humouristic undertone of the title was not
expressed properly?

maybe, yes

[Jim Covello]

It would probably be better to crop the top down a bit to balance it so both wingtips hit the edge similarly.

[Nikkor Shooter]

It would probably be better to crop the top down a bit to balance it so both wingtips hit the edge similarly.

Not a solution for me, Jim as I would prefer to have captured
the whole thing but the bird was too close!   

[MILLIREHM]

Not a solution for me, Jim as I would prefer to have captured
the whole thing but the bird was too close!   

Then you need to clone the wing

[MILLIREHM]

OK, then go out and try it again until you are satisfied. Any bird shooter gets shots like that, with enough patience and efforts there will be more successful ones too.
With this shot either work on it with additional cropping or jiust throw it to the bin.

[Nikkor Shooter]

OK, then go out and try it again until you are satisfied. Any bird shooter gets shots like that, with enough patience and efforts there will be more successful ones too.
With this shot either work on it with additional cropping or jiust throw it to the bin.

Why so serious?

[MILLIREHM]

Why so serious?

because it is the Critique forum and you are anonymous and nevertheless calling me Wolfi which is inappropriate.
If you long for feedback (and evidently are dissatisfied if you dont get attention as we could read) then it would be wise to actualle tell what you want, and maybe ask specific questions.

As far as I appear to have seen you also own the 200-400 f/4 which gives a good combo with the 600. Buy a second body (if you dont already have it) and work with two lenses. In case the 600 is foreseeable too long you can leave it on the tripod grab the shorter combo and eventually zoom out. You might also consider replacing the gimbal head with a fluid video head as well which is advantageous for BIF